Design Of The Head/Tape Interface For Ultra Low Flying

Summary form only given. In magnetic tape recording systems, the head-tape interface must be designed to achieve maximum readback amplitude and minimum wear of both the readwrite element and the magnetic medium. To achieve maximum signal amplitude the spacing between the read/write head and the tape must be minimized. At the same time, the contact pressure has to be kept as low as possible to reduce wear of the head and the tape. Furthermore, in order to achieve high data rates, high velocities of the headtape interface are required. Simple head contours, such as purely cylindrical heads, can not be used in those situations, since at high speeds an airbearing forms between the head and the tape, causing increased head/tape spacings.